MOST COMMON HERESIES —> THE COUNCILS’ RESPONSE

Docetism

Second and third century. Belief that Jesus only seemed to become a man, to suffer, and to die. Docetists taught that Jesus was really a pure spirit, who laughed from above the cross at his executioners’ folly

Gnosticism

Started in first century. Influenced pockets of Christianity, Judaism, and paganism. Gnostic describes a great number of widely diverse movements, sects, and philosophical systems. If anything unites them, it is the emphasis of secret and pseudo-mystical knowledge (in Greek, gnosis). Gnostic sects tended to view themselves as an elite, whose special knowledge separated them from the rabble of ordinary Christians. Many held that ordinary Christians were incapable of discerning Jesus’ real teaching, which was apparent only to “the elect”.

A common Gnostic tenet is the radical opposition of matter and spirit. Thus they believed the creator of this world was an evil “demiurge”, whom Jesus came to vanquish. Some concluded that, because all flesh was evil, the actions performed in the body did not matter, so everything was permitted: sexual license, theft, even murder. Others believed the body’s every desire must be repressed, and this led to ascetical extremes: beyond celibacy and temperance to self-castration, rigorous fasting, and even suicide.

Simon Magus, Marcion, Valentinus, Basilides, and Mani

Marcionism

Second century. Held that christianity should be a complete rejection of the heritage of Judaism. Marcion advocated the total elimination of the old testament.

Montanism

Second Century. Montanus (second century) claimed to be God’s prophet and that his ecstatic revelations superseded the teachings of the Church

Donatism

Fourth century. Held Christians to a high standard of moral behavior. A North African, Donatus taught that sacraments were invalid if dispensed by a priest who had committed serious sin.

Sabellianism

Third century teaching denying the Trinity. Believed that the Father and the Son were the same person.

Manicheanism

Third century Gnostic synthesis of Christianity, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, and Buddhism. Taught radical opposition of matter and spirit.

Arianism

Early fourth century. Most notorious and most successful of the ancient heresies. Arius denied that Jesus was coequal or co-eternal with God the Father. Heresy spread rapidly winning support from Byzantine emperors and many world Bishops.

St. Athanasius ended it during the Council of Nicaea in 325. Nicaea’s creed refined the orthodox expression of fundamental doctrines such as the Trinity

Nestorianism

Fifth century. Nestorius a fifth century patriarch of Constantinople, made such a distinction between the divine and human natures of Jesus as to suggest that they represented distinct persons. He also denied Mary the title “Mother of God” saying she gave birth only to Christ’s human person. These teachings were condemned by the Council of Ephesus in 431 and confirmed by the Second Council of Constantinople in 553 however some communities persist to this day

Monophysitism

Followed the time of Nestorianism proposing that Christ had only one nature, a unique composite of divinity and humanity.

Condemned by the Council of Chalcedon in 451 but persists to this day.

Monothelitism

Abortive attempt to reconcile the Monophysites with orthodoxy. Claimed that Jesus had two natures, but one will, His divine will.

Condemned by the Third Council of Constantinople in 680.

Pelagianism

Heresy that denied original sin, and claimed that man could avoid evil and win salvation by the power of his own free will; grace, then, was a merited reward, according to Pelagian doctrine.

REACTION TO HERESIES AND APOSTASY

Heresy, apostasy, theological speculation, illiteracy - all these circumstances inspired the Fathers to greater doctrinal development and ever-clearer expression.

Montanists and Donatists taught that mortal sin was unforgivable —> Response from Church: Belief in the “Forgiveness of sins”

Arius denied Christ’s divinity and co-eternity —> Response from Church: Church creed Jesus “the only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages, God from God, Light From Light, true God from true God, begotten not made, consubstantial with the Father”

When the threat of heresy was dire, the Church would convene a council of bishops and theologians called “ecumenical councils” with bishops of the whole Church

Patristic era had SIX ECUMENICAL COUNCILS dealing with questions about the natures and person of Jesus, and about the dogma of the Trinity.

The councils of the Patristic Era can be viewed as summaries of the Fathers’ teachings, intended to last through the ages:

NICAEA I (325)

Convened by the emperor Constantine to settle the question of Arianism, which was threatening to destroy the peace of the Church and the unity of the empire. Council ended by promulgating the anti-Arian Nicene Creed.

CONSTANTINOPLE I (381)

Settled the residual controversies surrounding Arianism, proclaimed the full deity of the Holy Spirit, and gave the Church of Constantinople precedence over all churches but Rome.

EPHESUS (431)

Judged heretical the teachings of Nestorius regarding the person and natures of Jesus Christ. Confirmed the title of Mary as Theotokos (“God-bearer”, or Mother of God)

CHALCEDON (451)

Declared definitively that Jesus is one person with two natures, settling almost two centuries of controversies involving several heresies.

CONSTANTINOPLE II (533)

Addressed lingering questions about Nestorianism.

CONSTANTINOPLE III (680)

Convened to settle the Monothelite controversy. The Monothelites claimed that Jesus had only one will, His divine will.